Delhi tops the list of 20 most polluted cities in the country where 1.2 million deaths take place every year due to air pollution, according to a Greenpeace India report published today.
It also claimed that none of the 168 cities it assessed complies with air quality standards prescribed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to the report, 1.2 million deaths take place every year in India due to air pollution, which is only a "fraction less" than that caused by tobacco usage, and three per cent of the GDP is lost due to air pollution.
The report said that only a "few" cities in southern India comply with air quality standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and pinpointed fossil fuels as one of the "main culprits" for the deteriorating air quality across the country.
"The top 20 most polluted cities have PM 10 levels between 268 µg/m3 and 168 µg/m3 for the year 2015. While, Delhi tops the list with 268 µg/m3, it is followed closely by Ghaziabad, Allahabad, and Bareli in Uttar Pradesh; Faridabad in Haryana; Jharia in Jharkhand; Alwar in Rajasthan; Ranchi, Kusunda and Bastacola in Jharkhand; Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh; and Patna in Bihar with PM10 levels ranging from 258 µg/m3to 200 µg/m3," the report titled 'Airpocalypse' said.